Musanze - Police  officers undertaking UN Peacekeeping operations should adhere to principles that protect vulnerable groups in order to curb sexual and gender-based crimes, during and after conflict. 

Andrew Carpenter, the Chief Strategist at the UN Police Division, said that gender based crimes, deprive victims of the right to live in dignity.

He was speaking during the closing ceremony of a training course on Investigation and Prevention of Sexual and Gender-Based Crimes, held at Rwanda Peace Academy, Nyakinama, Musanze District.

The two-week training of trainers program, organised by United Nations, Department of Peacekeeping Operation, attracted 20 police officers from Africa, the Americas and Asia.

"While cultural conventions on power and sex may vary, the impact of sexual violence doesn’t,” Carpenter said.

The international course will be followed by a similar training program for participants from French speaking countries, which will start on Monday and focus on the dynamics of sexual and GBV, UN resolutions, mass rape and genocide.

"We shared experiences on different types of gender based crimes. I have learnt about mass rape which occurred in Rwanda during the Genocide.

This training has enhanced our knowledge on how to help the victims,” said Inspector Diponthso Pharithi, from Botswana Police Service.

The Acting Director of Rwanda Peace Academy, Col Innocent Kabandana, noted that handling GBV requires a multi-sectoral approach.

He mentioned that at the end of the training, participants were able to identify and understand the nature, root causes,   contributing factors, impacts, and consequences of Gender Based Violence to human security, development and human rights.

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